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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



THE CULLEN SERIES. 



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AN INTERESTING MEMOIR 



JAMESTOWN VOYAGE TO IRELAND 



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BY THE LATE 






R. B. FORBES 



BOSTON 

JAMES P.. CULLEN & COMPANY 
506 Washington Street 



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PRICE, TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. 




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AN INTERESTING MEMOIR 



JAMESTOWN VOYAGE TO IRELAND. 



BY THE LATE 



R. B. FORBES. 



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BOSTON: 

J A M E S 15 . CULLEN & COMPAN Y. 
1 S 9 . 



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Copyright, 1890, 
II y JAMES B. CULL EN. 



0f cos GREs Jl 



PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT. 



The publishers present herewith a unique bit of literature to the 
public, and add it to the historical collections already in the archives of 
Massachusetts. 

This authentic memoir is from the pen of the late Capt. Forbes, in his 
day one of the worthiest and best respected citizens of Boston. 

The contents of the book are of solid value, and of interest to every- 
body. 

America and Ireland are old, tried, true, and loyal friends; these two 
nations are united in bonds of love and sympathy which have been 
strengthened by all the terrors of adversity and the dreadful sacrifice 
of human life for a common cause. To-day, the international influences 
wielded by the Irish people have become potent factors in shaping for- 
eign affairs, and the sustaining power of the Irish people in this country 
is the life of the Kepublic. 

Any event which has alternately made a beneficiary of either the 
American or the Irish nation is of world-wide interest. 

* In 1676, Ireland sent supplies to the starving colonists of Massachu- 
setts, and the voyage of the "Jamestown," one hundred and seventy 
years later, was a practical demonstration of the gratitude of the Ameri- 
can people The story is well told in the following pages by the noble 
American commander who guided the vessel on her errand of mercy into 
the Irish port, during that eventful famine-stricken period. 

By a special request of the publishers, Capt. Forbes wrote this suc- 
cinct story. No more fitting time to pay a just tribute to his memory 
has come than the present, since his demise is of recent occurrence. 

We are convinced that the professional man, the merchant, the me- 
chanic, and a large class of people who will not purchase exhaustive and 
costly works will bid this piece of condensed ' historical information a 
hearty welcome. 

THE PUBLISHERS. 

* See " The Story of the Irish in Boston," Cullen, pages 79, 80, and 81. 



SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS. 



Washington's birthday, 1847. — Congress petitioned on behalf of Ireland. — A 
joint resolution passed. — The frigate "Macedonian" loaned. — The sloop-of-war 
" Jamestown." — On St. Patrick's Day the Laborers' Aid Society stores about one 
thousand tons of supplies on board. — Sunday, March 28. — The start for sea. — The 
Boston Relief Committee. — The tug " R. B. Forbes." — Capt. F. W. Macondray. — 
Capt. James Dumaresq Farwell. — Dr. Luther Parks. — The crew of the "James- 
town." — A sketch of the ship. — The Rev. R. C. Waterston calls attention to Ire- 
land's aid to America in 1676. — An account of the " Irish donation." — Mr. Water- 
ston' s grateful tribute to Ireland's charity. — "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for 
thou shall find it after many days. " — " A ship-of-war changed into an angel of mercy." 

— " She carries with her the best wishes of millions." — The blessing. — The amount 
of the contributions of Irishmen to America in 1676. — " We have planted in the Irish 
heart a debt which will come back to us in the future, bearing fruit crowned with 
peace and good-will." — Capt. Forbes relates the particulars of the voyage. — Good 
by, Boston Light. — Queenstown, ho! — A visit from Lieut. -Commander Trotheral, 
of Her Majesty's ship " Crocodile." — A message from Rear Admiral Sir Hugh Pigot. 

— A deputation from the citizens of Cove of Cork. — The band begins to play. — Cork 
illuminated. — The meeting of Capt. Forbes and Father Mathew. — They proceed 
to Cork together. — A banquet at the Cove. — A dinner on the "Crocodile." — 
Capt. Forbes meets the Temperance Institute at Cork. — Father Mathew pre- 
sides. — Irish ladies. — Nine days at Cork. — Capt. Forbes "at home," from 
twelve to three, to the residents of Cork and Cove. — He entertains several hun- 
dred by music from Father Mathew's Temperance Band, a barrel of Welsh best 
ship-bread, flanked by ice from Fresh Pond, lemonade, and a sample of Mrs. 
Mayer's hard gingerbread. — Irish ladies dance with the red-coats and blue-coats 
on the deck of the ship. — Presented with a portrait of Father Mathew. — Capt. 
Forbes invites him to Boston. — Obliged to stay with his famine-stricken country- 
men. — An incident. — An English lord applies to Capt. Forbes for relief. — The 
Captain's reply. — Good by to old Ireland. — Passing Spike Island. — The Royal 
Marines give three cheers. — The American flag makes response. — Admiral 
Pigot and the " Zephyr." — " Keep her as long as her coal lasts." — Man overboard. 
Lost!— The "Macedonian." — The cost of the voyage. — Report of the Relief 
Committee. — Receipts and expenses of the voyage. 



A SKETCH 



HISTORY OF THE JAMESTOWN VOYAGE. 



On the twenty-second day of February, 1847, certain mer- 
chants of Boston forwarded to the Hon. R. C. Winthrop a 
petition asking Congress to loan a United States ship to carry 
to Ireland a cargo of supplies for the famine-stricken people of 
Ireland. On the third of March, the last stormy day of the 
session, Congress passed a joint resolution granting the loan of 
the frigate "Macedonian" to Capt. Geo. C. DeKay, of New 
York, and the sloop-of-war "Jamestown" to myself, as I hap- 
pened to have headed the said petition, and the Hon. J. T. 
Mason, Secretary of the Navy, at once sent an order to Com. 
F. A. Parker, commandant of the Navy Yard at Charlestown, 
to prepare the " Jamestown " by the removal of her armament. 

The order came on the eleventh of March, and on St. Pat- 
rick's Day, the seventeenth, the Laborers' Aid Society stowed 
on board about one thousand tons of stores ; by the twenty- 
seventh she was full, say about eight thousand barrels in bulk, 
consisting of provisions, grain, meal, clothing, etc. 

On Sunday, the twenty-eighth, at 8.30 a. m., the fasts were 
cast off, and with a tine breeze at northwest, we started for 
sea, accompanied by the tow-boat "R. B. Forbes," on board 
of which were the Boston Relief Committee, consisting of 
Hon. Josiah Quincy, Jr., chairman, Thomas Lee, J. Ingersoll 



Bowditch, James K. Mills, Geo. W. Crockett, and Hon, David 
Henshaw. 

In about an hour the committee came near and requested me 
to heave to and put out the pilot, Mr. Phillips, but I returned 
for answer that the tug must come close to the quarter and he 
would be swung on board with the aid of the vans; of the 
spanker gaff. This was done successfully, and with hearty 
cheers from the committee we proceeded on our way. 

It may be well here to state that my chief officer was Capt. 
F. W. Macondrny, who had been several years in my employ ; 
my second officer was Capt. James Dumaresq Farwell, who had 
also been in my employ, volunteers without pay ; and two 

experienced seamen, Messrs. White and , who were under 

pay. Dr. Luther Parks went as surgeon, and a young man by 
the name of Sullivan went as passenger, as an acknowledgment 
of his father's free services, as broker, in slathering together 
the cargo. Of active men fit to go aloft there were thirty-one, 
there were two stewards, a cook and his aid, and the balance, to 
make up the whole company to forty-nine all told, consisted of 
several green hands and several men who had become cripples 
from frosted feet. 

The ship drew about twenty feet of water ; the lower hold 
was full of cargo ; the between decks, or what is called the 
"berth deck," where the crew and officers lived when she was 
a vessel-of-war, was also full of cargo, and the gun deck, cov- 
ered in by a light "spar deck," was occupied by the crew and 
stores, by the launch and cutter, and by the pumps ; my cabin 
and dining-room, with the quarters for the officers, occupied 
the after end of this deck ; all the ports were planked up and 
made tight, but as the pumps still delivered their water on this 
deck and much came in through the rudder casing or port, this 
gun deck was constantly wet and uncomfortable. While fit- 



tin!;: out the ship, the Rev. R. C. Waterston wrote to me, stat- 
ing that the records of Plymouth County showed that we 
received aid from Ireland in our infancy as a nation. I quote 
the following from the records of 1676 : — 

" The order and distribution of this Colony's contributions 
made by divers Christians in Ireland, for the relief of such as are 
impoverished and distressed by the Indian wars, was, as respects 
this Colony, apportioned as followeth : — * 

Appointed to distribute it. 

r Leift. Morton. 
) Joseph Warren. 
( William Crow. 
f Mr. Josiah Standish. 
1 William Paybody. 
/ Major Cudworth. 
- Cornette studson. 
( Edward Jenkins. 

William Harvey. 

James Walker. 

John Richmond. 

Mr. Brown. 



Plymouth 



Duxrurrow 



SCITTUATE 



Taunton 



08 



02 



12 



10 



SWAVSEY 



21 



Middle Berry 04 



00 



00 



00 



00 



00 



00 



00 



00 



00 



10 



00 



00 



John Butterworth. 
Francis Combe. 
Isacke Howard. 



Eastham 


00 


10 


. 00 


Capt. Freeman. 


Yarmouth 


00 


10 


00 


Mr. John Thacher. 


Barnstable 


03 


00 . 


00 


( Mr. Huckens. 

1 Barnabas Laythrop. 

( John Cooke. 

< John Smith. 

( John Russell. 


Dartmouth 


22 


, 00 , 


00 


















t Mr. Nathaniel Paine. 


Rehoboth 


32 


. 00 


. 00 


. ) Lieft. Hunt. 

( Mr. Daniell Smith. 


Marsh feild 

i 


02 


. 00 


00 


( Ensigne Fames. 
1 Anthony Snow. 
/-Elder Brett. 


Bridgwater 


07 


. 00 


. 00 


) Deacon Willis. 

( Mr. Samuel Edson." 



* The amount, according to Morton's " New England Memorial." edited by 
Judge Davis, pages 459-61. was £124 10s., made to fourteen towns on the 
Cape. 



To borrow the words of Mr. Waterston, I quote : "It is an 
interesting fact that the people of Ireland, nearly two hundred 
years ago, thus sent relief to our Pilgrim Fathers in the time 
of their need, and what we have been doing for that famishing 
country is but a return for what their fathers did for our 
fathers ; and the whole circumstances prove a verification of 
the Scripture, 'Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt 
find it after many days.'" In making this Scriptural quotation, 
Mr. Waterston goes on to say : " I consider the mission of the 
'Jamestown' as one of the grandest events in the history of our 
country. A ship-of-war changed into an angel of mercy, de- 
parting on no errand of death, but with the bread of life to an 
unfortunate and perishing people. She carries with her the 
best wishes of millions, and it seemed as if Heaven smiled upon 
you in your speedy passage out and your safe return." It will 
readily be seen that these good and grateful words were not 
uttered until the voyage was ended. 

In allusion to what the reverend friend had said, I remark, in 
the introduction to the history of the voyage of the " Jamestown," 
that I was very grateful to him for so successfully enabling me 
to weigh anchor, and complete the report to the Relief Com- 
mittee. 

The amount of the contributions of Irishmen in 1676, at com- 
pound interest, would be so large that I dare not say how 
much we should still be indebted after all New England has 
done and is doing. 

The amount would be over $200,000. Let us hope to pay it 
off, still leaving us much in debt to Ireland ; we have planted 
in the Irish heart a debt which will come back to us in the 
future, bearing fruit crowned with peace and good-will. 

After this preface, I will go on and give such particulars of 
the voyage as may be of interest to the present generation. 



After taking leave of the Relief Committee off Boston Light, we 
were favored by a good run clear of George's Shoals and clear of 
the Banks, until, on the twelfth of April, fifteen days and three 
hours from home, we cast anchor in the outer harbor of what 
has since been known as Queenstown. We soon received a 
visit from Lieut. -Commander Trotheral, of Her Majesty's ship 
" Crocodile," conveying a message of welcome from Rear Admiral 
Sir Hugh Pigot, and an assurance that everything would be 
done to expedite the delivery of our cargo and to prepare the 
ship for her return to the United States. Early the following 
day the " Sabrina," Capt. Parker, a passenger steamer, came 
along, took us in tow, and carried us to the government store- 
houses at Haulbowline : before the ship was fairly moored, 
there came a deputation from the citizens of Cove of Cork, 
who had previously sent on board a band of music. On the 
thirteenth the town was illuminated ; on the fourteenth the 
cargo was being discharged, and I proceeded to Cork, in com- 
pany with Father Mathew, and was introduced to the collector 
and other officials on the fifteenth ; a banquet was given by the 
citizens of Cove in honor of myself and my officers, and on 
the sixteenth I was entertained by a dinner on board of the 
" Crocodile." On the nineteenth I met the Temperance Insti- 
tute at Cork, at the head of which Father Mathew presided ; 
many were the kind words spoken on this occasion, and a 
number of short poems were presented by the ladies present ; 
among others one came from Joseph Hamilton, Esq., of Dublin. 

Considering that we were at Cork only nine days, it is a 
wonder that the spirit of song and poetry should have been 
awakened at all. 

On the twenty-first of April, twenty-four days only front 
leaving Boston, I was "at home" from twelve to three to the 
residents of Cork and Cove, and I entertained several hundred 



10 

by music from Father Mathew's Temperance Band, and by a 
barrel of Welsh best ship-bread, flanked by a large piece of ice 
from Fresh Pond, which I declared was manufactured expressly 
for the purpose on the twenty-fifth of March. I gave also good 
lemonade, and a very small sample of Mrs. Mayer's hard ginger- 
bread ; but it must be owned that the best part of the picnic 
was furnished by the ladies, who danced with the red-coats 
and the blue-coats on the deck of the ship. 

On the twentieth of April I visited various officials, to take 
leave. On the twenty-second I went to Cork and made final 
arrangements with my kind friend and agent, Mr. William 
Rathbone, of Liverpool, for the distribution of my cargo and 
other cargoes coming to my consignment. 

While at Cork, Mr. John O'Connor presented to me a por- 
trait of Father Mathew, and an engraving of a tower erected 
to the memory of that good man, whom I invited to come 
with me to Boston, but he was obliged to decline, not wishing 
to leave his famine-stricken countrymen. 

My agents at Cork were Messrs. N. & I. Cummins, and at 
Cove, Messrs. James Scott & Co., to whom I was much 
indebted for many acts of kindness and for free work in aid 
of my mission. Among the incidents of my stay at Cork, I 

might mention the application of Lord for relief; but 

on being asked to visit a fine yacht that he was building, I 
concluded that I might find better objects on whom to lodge 
any part of my cargo. 

Finally, on the twenty-second of April, at 3.30 p. m., we 
left Cove in tow of Her Majesty's steamship "Zephyr." On 
passing Spike Island, where the Royal Marines, under Lieut. - 
Col. Coryton, were stationed, we were much gratified by seeing 
the whole corps drawn up under arms, and as we passed, they 
gave three cheers in a style never before experienced by me. 



11 

As we had no guns with which to respond, we could only dip 
our flag and make a feeble response. 

Soon after the "Zephyr" cast off, and we made sail to a 
light, favorable breeze. When I called on Admiral Pigot to 
take leave, I inquired as to how far I might avail myself of the 
" Zephyr." He answered, " Keep Iter as long as her coal lasts." 
At Cork we had found a number of good seamen ready to ship 
at nominal wages, so that we had an excellent crew, and sev- 
eral persons from an American ship lately wrecked on the Irish 
coast. The only ineident of importance experienced on our 
way home is noted in my journal, namely : — 

May third, while furling the jib, at night, in dark, squally 
weather, John Hughes, one of our best men, was lost from the 
jib-boom. He was not missed by the other men at the time. 
The ship was under a press of sail, going ten or eleven knots, 
and nothing could have been done to save him had it been 
known at what time he lost his hold. On the sixteenth of May 
(Sunday), just forty-nine days from the time of leaving, we 
anchored off the Navy Yard, and the next day delivered the 
good ship to Commodore Parker. 

The "Macedonian." 

This historic frigate was captured from the British, and, as has 
been said, was granted to Capt. George C. DeKay to carry pro- 
visions to Ireland and Scotland. On my return, on the sixteenth 
of May, I found her still off the Battery at New York, with only 
about two thousand five hundred barrels of cargo on board, and 
as I had said to the people of Cork much as to her coming, I felt 
much like seeing her go. I called on the Boston Relief Com- 
mittee to till her, and a committee, consisting of David Hen- 
shaw, James K. Mills, and myself, was despatched to New 



12 

York to see how this could be done. It was determined to put 
into her about five thousand barrels, and the Rev. Father 
Taylor to go out in her in charge of the bill of lading. This 
was done, and some time in June this cargo was landed at 
the Cove of Cork, and Capt. DeKay went to Scotland and 
landed his original two thousand five hundred barrels, returning 
to New York in October. 

The cost of the "Macedonian's" voyage was such that Capt. 
DeKay went to Congress for relief, and procured a grant of 
money to help out his expenses ; but he sacrificed much in the 
good cause, and died not long after his return. 

The report of the Relief Committee gives the following fig- 
ures, receipts being, — 



From Massachusetts 
Maine 

New Hampshir 
Vermont . 
Rhode Island 
Connecticut 
Indiana . 
Wisconsin 
Illinois . 
Arkansas 



$115,041 96 

9,881 03 

18,401 38 

4,371 02 

1,030 50 

1,068 00 

223 16 

216 25 

20 00 

153 75 

$150,407 05 



Nearly $122,000 of this sum w^as received in cash. The city 
of Boston gave $51,641.19 in cash and $521.75 in provisions ; 
total, $52,162.94. Other Massachusetts towns gave $63,479.02. 
The committee forwarded the contributions by the following 
vessels : — 



13 



Steamer " Cambria " to Liverpool 
United States ship " Jamestown " to Cork 
Bark " Tartar " for Cork . 
Ship " Morea " for Glasgow 
Ship " Reliance " for Cork . 
United States ship " Macedonian " for Cork 
Ship "Mary Ann" for Liverpool 
Balance remitted by steamer 



$1,085 00 
40,018 80 
29,752 23 
23,609 95 
27,946 37 
23,840 94 
181 13 
4,872 63 

$151,307 05 



Railroads brought freight free, Bancroft trucked goods free, 
wharfage free, and the principal papers advertised free; market 
men srave tons of food ; Hittinger gave ice. 



14 
The account of the voyage was as here stated : — 

J. I. Bowditch, Treasurer, in account witJt 11. B. Fobbes. 
1847. 
June 12. To cash paid for 

Provisions $703 35 

Wages of crew 1,675 00 

Lining water-tanks . . . . . 60 31 

Coopering cargo . . . . . 14 78 

Ship-chandlery ...... 44 73 

Sundry expenses ..... 34 25 

Paid female employment, etc., at Cork, 

£40, and handed to J. Scott, at Cork, £60, 457 64 



$2,990 06 



1847. 

March 23. Received of Treasurer 

26. Received of Treasurer 

April 5. Received of Treasurer 

June 14. Received of Treasurer 

Passengers from Cork 

Ballast sold . 

Donation from S. C. Phillips 
Donation from O. Goodwin 



Errors excepted. 





$800 00 




664 90 




1,180 19 




20 16 




107 61 




150 00 




33 60 




33 60 




$2,990 06 



R. B. FORBES. 



15 

Boston, June 14, 1847. 
Memorandum of the expenses of the voyage. 



Provisions 
Wages 
Chandlery 
Disbursements 



Cr. 

2 passengers . 
Ballast sold . 
2 men's wages found 
Bill of provisions returned Winches- 
ter . 



$107 61 

150 00 

67 20 

421 00 



$703 35 

1,675 00 

44 73 

34 25 

52,457 33 



745 81 



And contributed by the Boston churches on the 
day of sailing ...... 

Charges ........ 

Balance . . . . . . 



,711 52 



!3,076 64 
1,711 52 

£1,365 12 



This represents the amount of credit to committee, showing 
that nothing was paid out, and this amount was procured, over 
expenses. 

R. B. FORBES. 





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